Fantasy: Who's on your football Mount Rushmore?

In this Jan. 21, 2007, file photo, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning reacts against the New England Patriots during the AFC Championship football game in Indianapolis. The Peyton Manning era in Indianapolis is expected to end, according to a report. Citing anonymous sources, ESPN reported Tuesday, March 6, 2012, that the Colts plan to hold a news conference Wednesday to announce the long-expected decision. Manning is expected to attend. (Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
— AP

In this Jan. 21, 2007, file photo, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning reacts against the New England Patriots during the AFC Championship football game in Indianapolis. The Peyton Manning era in Indianapolis is expected to end, according to a report. Citing anonymous sources, ESPN reported Tuesday, March 6, 2012, that the Colts plan to hold a news conference Wednesday to announce the long-expected decision. Manning is expected to attend. (Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
/ AP

LaDainian Tomlinson's retirement made me think. I know, yet another amazing accomplishment by the Chargers great.

Say I was in charge of creating a Fantasy Football Mount Rushmore. Who would I have on it? Since I made the argument Tomlinson was the greatest fantasy running back, obviously his face would get the dynamite treatment. That leaves three.

Once again, keep in mind for the purposes of this post, I'm considering players from the Mid-90's to present, honoring the rise in popularity of fantasy football.

Also, consider, the actual presidents who were selected by Gutzon Borglum for his patriotic sculpture were done so because of their role in preserving the Republic and expanding its territory. So everyone on the Fantasy Football Mount Rushmore must have played such a role in the game, we can't discuss the history without discussing something they accomplished. A career, a monstrous season, something.

There were two founding fathers, so I'm comfortable with two running backs. Marshall Faulk it is. He and LT were essentially the same back with Faulk being more consistently dominant out of the backfield and LT being a historically good touchdown machine. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both from Virginia, while Faulk and Tomlinson both have ties to San Diego. It works.

There has to be a quarterback. This one is easy: Peyton Manning. Besides hunting vampires, Abraham Lincoln preserved the union and freed the slaves. Manning changed the game as well. First, by literally changing the game's rules by making such a fuss, bump-and-run coverage was taken away after the Patriots killed the Colts multiple times with it. Second, by taking advantage of said rule change and heralding a new era of pass dominance with his 2004 campaign: 336-for-497, 67.7%, 4,557 yards, 49 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a remarkable 121.1 quarterback rating.

The final position on the mountain goes to Jerry Rice. You say,"But Eddie, most of Rice's signature seasons came before the Mid-90's. You're breaking your own rule." Indeed I am, kind of.

See, Rice's final signature season came in 1995. And in my opinion, it's still the greatest statistical season a wide receiver has ever recorded: 122 receptions, 1,848 yards (still a record) and 15 touchdowns. You might challenge with Marvin Harrison's 143-catch season (2002) or Randy Moss' 23 touchdown season (2007). Both were aided by Manning's rule changes, and neither could stand up to the totality of Rice's '95 classic. So the G.O.A.T. breaks the rule, kind of like Teddy Roosevelt busted trusts.

I know. The last one is a stretch. It's hard comparing football players to presidents.